Singapore Airlines operates a hidden lounge within a lounge in Jakarta (CGK) that I stumbled upon by accident…
Singapore Airlines Lounge – Jakarta
I arrived at Soekarno–Hatta International Airport about two hours before my Singapore Airlines flight to Singapore. I was traveling in first class and wanted to allow plenty of time in case of unforeseen delay…traffic can be very unpredictable, even in the middle of the night, in Jakarta, which is now the world’s largest city.
Traveling without checked baggage, the agent smiled and handed me two boarding passes…I’d be going all the way to London. Maybe the check-in agent just assumed that I knew, but did not mention the lounge. I headed for the Plaza Premium Lounge, which my son and I greatly enjoyed during our two extended layovers in Jakarta last year.
There, I sat down near the coffee bar, ready to start my day with a flat white.
As I was waiting for my coffee, I took a walk toward the other end of the lounge and noticed a Singapore Airlines sign…
Odd, I thought. I grabbed my bag and walked into the lounge. There was no one at the desk. Inside, there was a large seating area (it was not just a small room) and a separate buffet.
Further back, there was a door with a first class sign on it. I went inside and found another large room with seating and a dining area.
The first class section is a lounge within a lounge within a lounge…
I sat down and eventually a waiter came into the lounge, saw I was there, and brought me over a menu:
(I didn’t eat anything…just drank coffee).
There was an obnoxious Australian businessman in the lounge who was yelling into his cell phone. Then his friend entered the lounge and they started gabbing in that most insufferable banter of braggadocious balderdash. So annoying…
In fact, I decided to leave the lounge and head to the gate, hoping to board my flight first. On the way out, I saw the front desk of the Singapore lounge was staffed…I guess I arrived a little too early.
CONCLUSION
If you’re flying Singapore Airlines out of Jakarta, don’t miss the lounge within the lounge…or if you’re traveling first class, the lounge within the lounge within the lounge.
I’m not sure why Singapore operates a separate lounge in CGK (or not, since it is not listed on its lounge page) or why it even offers first class on this short flight…but I’m sure this special area is much more appreciated when the main lounge is crowded.
It is a short flight for international F. But I am glad it is there – in February I will enjoy my first Singapore F flight for 30,000 Singapore miles to go from SIN to CJK.
I am already giddy.
Enjoy the Private Suite…it’s great!
How odd, I was there flying EVA business class as a *G a couple of years ago and was neither told about it at check in nor stumbled across it while checking airport information online!
So odd… It’s not even listed on the Star Alliance or SQ websites as a SQ lounge (just a Plaza Premium Lounge)
SQ has a certain agreement in place with Plaza Premium within the region where they carve out a space specifically for SQ. It’s a practise seen in KUL as well. It’s not a star alliance or silver Kris lounge, just a special area for SQ customers
Access is restricted to SQ passengers. Star Gold not flying on SQ does not get access.
Very odd in general. I can understand wanting to keep out passengers from other Star Alliance members to avoid over crowding, but not even telling their own passengers about it? And especially someone flying in first class.
“why it even offers first class on this short flight”
Given the dire state of Garuda’s own first class product, maybe there is enough demand for people willing to fly on Singapore’s product, whether direct flights or connecting via SIN?
As I’ll share about tomorrow, I had the whole four-seat cabin to myself.
There’s plenty of money in Jakarta, but flying Garuda is not considered chic. Singapore Airlines has cachet with the monied class of Indonesia.
“Then his friend entered the lounge and they started gabbing in that most insufferable banter of braggadocious balderdash.”
I guess that’s preferable to pusillanimous pussyfooting? (I’ll now ban myself for quoting Spiro Agnew.)
Thank you I learned about hidden lounge and new phrase “braggadocious balderdash”.
I am curious. Is there a content moderation or am I blocked for me not know reason? I post the comment refresh the site but comment does not appear.
No one is blocked except Dave Edwards and the late reader who took his own life.
I am curious. Is there a content moderation or am I blocked for me not know reason? I post the comment refresh the site but comment does not appear.
This is the 2nd comment but i used different name and email letssee if its work
If I recall correctly, SQ has always wanted to open its own lounge at CGK but the airport management for some reason doesn’t allow foreign airlines to open their own lounge hence SQ resorted to use a contract lounge. But given CGK is a huge market for SQ they managed to get their own section within the Plaza Premium lounge with a separate first class section. Back when they operated from terminal 2, there was a dedicated contract lounge only for SQ’s premium class passengers and PPS Club members with a separate first class section as well. Meanwhile other foreign airlines premium passengers as well as SQ’s Krisflyer Gold members were entitled to use the other contract lounge.
For SQ business class passengers, the food is actually better in the main lounge area. The only real benefit of the separate section for SIngapore Airlines in Jakarta is a more peaceful place to sit and the extra steps you get going to and from the main plaza premium lounge section.
Huh? Curious how you stumbled in there by accident as they escort you to the private first class section. Every one of my 5 flights CGK-SIN in F they have done so from check in to immigration, and lounge entrance to the F section.
Nope.
I had an escort to security, and then he said goodbye.